Tell me about living in Alaska.

[MomLovesClassics]

No not me. My single son is considering moving there. I have heard good things from an uncle-in law about living there. Tell me about what is it like. I am not sure what area, but it would be where one of the military bases are located. What is it like driving in the winter? Hunting is good, but what else is there to do? He likes to get out see and experience the world. He is not into the bar scene. He is such a people person and loves meeting people. How is the dating scene there? I don't think he wants to go there to get far away from family, but to have a nice place to live. This is just one of his options, and someone has sold him on the idea of Alaska. Tell me what do you love about Alaska? What do you hate about Alaska? If he moves there, the whole family will have to visit, but during the summer months. I don't want to be shelfish and tell him not to move because I want him next door.

[Starr]

I've lived in Alaska and love it but it is very far away from the lower 48. He really needs to realize that he won't be seeing his family very often and traveling home will be expensive.

[MomLovesClassics]

I've lived in Alaska and love it but it is very far away from the lower 48. He really needs to realize that he won't be seeing his family very often and traveling home will be expensive.

 

Yes, he is looking at several options, including Europe. He loves adventure though.

[Rosy]

A good friend moved up there about 4 years ago. From talking to her and a visit in the middle of January one year, you couldn't pay me enough to move there!! The cost of living is higher, for one thing, especially in Fairbanks. Having a chunk of the year where it is only light for a few hours a day (and twilighty at that) is depressing. Options for shopping aren't good (though your DS probably wouldn't care about that). There are times of the year where you really can't spend much time outside. And like the PP said, travel is an issue--it is cheaper and faster for me to get to parts of the East Coast from WA (by car or plane) than going to Fairbanks. Anchorage/Homer is a little better.

 

The one thing that has interested me about Alaska, though, is the people. The way of life seems to bond people, and it seems (from my friend's perspective, anyway) that there is a stronger sense of community and interdependence. And they are better at dealing with hardship than those of us who have always lived in the suburbs. But still...

[EJCMom]

Alaska is absolutely beautiful. We lived there when we were first married. My husband was working construction in little villages out in the bush. Since villages were my experience with living there, it was not a good one. The little villages were very isolated (picture only being able to fly in and out in the little 4-seater planes) and I became quite depressed. The villages that I lived in didn't even have grocery stores that were regularly stocked with...food of any kind...nor did they keep regular hours. Not that regular hours matter when there's nothing on the shelf! :lol:

 

Having said that, I've always said that if we had lived on the road system (and any military base is sure to be on the road system) I could be talked into moving back. The winters are cold, but you really do get used to it. You learn to dress for the weather, so it actually doesn't seem too bad. From what I remember in Anchorage, they actually keep the roads plowed pretty well, so it is better than driving in snowy weather where I live now. I loved that it stayed light so late in the summer. I got so much done!

 

The bottom line is, if he loves adventure, there is a lot to love about Alaska. It would be the adventure of a lifetime, that is for sure!

[Annabel Lee]

I may be biased b/c I grew up here. ;)

If he's looking at Ft. Richardon or Elmandorf AFB - I'm not too keen on Anchorage b/c it's more like a big city (look up its population - I don't know off hand). There's more crime there than I like to stay alert about - I don't think the rates are unusual; I just prefer zero, or as close to that as possible. It does have beautiful views of the ocean. If he prefers to keep lots of city things around (multiple big malls, zoo, waterpark, etc.) then that might be the place.

 

There are people who work at those bases who don't live in Anchorage - they live in Eagle River, Wasilla, Palmer, and nearby communities. Those all have city amenities (and Wasilla just gets bigger every time I drive down) with tons of beautiful mountains & nature around. Then he could still drive down to Anchorage when/if he felt like it.

 

If he is looking at Ft. Wainwright or Eielson AFB - those are in the interior. Fairbanks is the big city there, but only about 1/2 to 1/3 the size in population as Anchorage and the gang scene hasn't really developed. Not that Anchorage has gangs at the same level as huge major cities, but in Fbks. there's only a handful of wanna-be members. I feel safer there than in Anchorage - for myself & my kids. Fairbanks is surrounded by smaller communities, and the populations are spread out further rather than built up like a large city (like Anch.). There's North Pole (between Ft. WW & Eielson) & Salcha on far side of Eielson, and then down the road even further (like 2 hrs.) are Delta & it's military base, Ft. Greely. If he really wants to be in the middle of nowhere, Delta is the place. On the other side of Fairbanks from those places are Fox, Esther, and further away are Healy & Nenana.

 

Fairbanks has kept its' small-town hospitality as it's grown. If he's a people person, his out-going personality & friendliness would be well reciprocated. There's a Regal movie cinema, plenty of restaraunts, churches of every 'brand', bowling, indoor swimming pools, etc... the regular stuff. The bases have an outdoors/sportsman place where you can rent kayaks, canoes, boats, ATVs, etc. and they have classes to show you how to work them first. I guess it depends on what he's into for what there is to do up here.

 

The University of Alaska has 2 major campuses in Fairbanks & Anchorage where there are museums, hockey games, series of free lectures, orchestra/theatre performances, etc. In Fairbanks the Nutcracker is performed every Christmas by a local ballet studio who hosts internationally known dancers & graduates their own with full dance scholarships to major dance schools. There are 3 major lakes in/around the interior where people take their sea-doos (jet skis?), boats, etc. and go innertubing, waterskiing, or just swimmint, etc. (I use "etc." alot, huh? lol). There are campgrounds and some locals have little lake houses or cabins there. There's a bird observatory, ski/sled hills, snowmachine trails, snowboarding, Alaska Public Lands Info. Ctr. is an interesting place with free monthly workshops, berry-picking, 4-wheeling (on ATVs), tons of fishing of all sorts, bow & arrow hunting, bike trails... If he's into photography this is a great place. Fairbanks/North Pole has what's called "First Fridays" every 1st Fri. of the month, with art shows at some shops and live bands and food/wine samplings. North Pole hosts a larger art show contained under 1 roof for 1st Fridays. There's Chena Hot Springs, where they have their own geothermal powered little hotel/restaurant/ice hotel/etc. The power could go out all over the world & they'd be fine; it's a self-sufficient operation independent of "the grid". They give free tours, and they have guided ATV/skiing/etc. tours in the winter, not to mention the hot springs. There are libraries, a major one in Fbks. and smaller ones in the outlying communities. There's major chain stores (Home Depot, Old Navy, Petco, American Eagle...), restaurants (Chili's, fast food), & hotels and there's ma & pa shops, too. There's some local restaraunts that are on the Chena river & make for beautful views when out on a date.

 

As for the dating scene... well, it's been awhile for me. The women up here, the Alaska-grown ones anyhow, really know how to work. Most of us still know how to clean up well for a date. Some of us carry Coach purses and have our nails done & wear brand-label clothes... probably what he's used to. There's a large section of us, IMO, that value other things above appearance & materialistic stuff. A very small section take that to an extreme though, and may have never been to a hairdresser as far as I can tell, or heard of plucking/waxing excess facial hair, and the great thing is no one bats an eye at it. There is a varied female demographic population up here.

 

About winter driving: You get used to it, just like I & everyone else here had to when we were 16. Don't bring a rear-wheel drive vehicle. There are places up here to get studded tires, or better yet, Blizzak tires for the winter. These same places can usually change out all vehicle fluids for colder temps, too. We have Napa & Jiffy Lube, and major dealerships. The brakes are not your friends in the winter - you must be gentle with them. The boroughs/cities have snow-clearing equipment for the roads, and from what I see on the news when it snows big-time Outside, they clear the roads here quickly & regularly, and life goes on. He could get together w/ a local or someone who's been up here a few winters and practice in an empty lot or less-busy areas to get the feel of it. Basically, just no sudden moves when it's icy. It's really nothing like Ice Road Truckers. There is an unspoken code of sorts that when the temps are super-cold and you see someone with their car broken down on the side of the highway, you help them. Those temps can be dangerous if the person isn't dressed properly. In the interior it gets colder in the winter, but hotter in the summer. There's less range in temp around Anchorage; their summers are more grey and rainy than Fbks.

 

I love the fresh air, clean water, wild subsitence lifestyle, the freedom, and most of all the unadulterated nature. I love the huge variance in personalities here - there isn't a majority of people absorbed in trend pop culture. Alot of people come here to learn (university or otherwise) or do nature-related research.

 

Sorry for rambling on so... feel free to PM me w/ specific questions.

 

ETA: OH! Dog mushing, mountain climbing, hiking trails or forging your own trail in the wilderness... lol, the possibilities are endless.

Edited July 29, 2010 by Annabel Lee

[MomLovesClassics]

Wow just wow! Sounds like he would like it there.

Possibly it was the recruiter who left an impression on him? Maybe that recruter was a salesman in disguise? Or possibly Alaska is not on everyone's top list of bases to be stationed at? The recruiter basically told him he could have his pick of jobs should he go to Alaska. I am pretty sure he would also have a housing allowance of some sort too, to help with high rent cost. There is certainly a lot to think about, and I believe there is time to consider options. I think he would actually enjoy it there.

 

I may be biased b/c I grew up here. ;)

If he's looking at Ft. Richardon or Elmandorf AFB - I'm not too keen on Anchorage b/c it's more like a big city (look up its population - I don't know off hand). There's more crime there than I like to stay alert about - I don't think the rates are unusual; I just prefer zero, or as close to that as possible. It does have beautiful views of the ocean. If he prefers to keep lots of city things around (multiple big malls, zoo, waterpark, etc.) then that might be the place.

 

There are people who work at those bases who don't live in Anchorage - they live in Eagle River, Wasilla, Palmer, and nearby communities. Those all have city amenities (and Wasilla just gets bigger every time I drive down) with tons of beautiful mountains & nature around. Then he could still drive down to Anchorage when/if he felt like it.

 

If he is looking at Ft. Wainwright or Eielson AFB - those are in the interior. Fairbanks is the big city there, but only about 1/2 to 1/3 the size in population as Anchorage and the gang scene hasn't really developed. Not that Anchorage has gangs at the same level as huge major cities, but in Fbks. there's only a handful of wanna-be members. I feel safer there than in Anchorage - for myself & my kids. Fairbanks is surrounded by smaller communities, and the populations are spread out further rather than built up like a large city (like Anch.). There's North Pole (between Ft. WW & Eielson) & Salcha on far side of Eielson, and then down the road even further (like 2 hrs.) are Delta & it's military base, Ft. Greely. If he really wants to be in the middle of nowhere, Delta is the place. On the other side of Fairbanks from those places are Fox, Esther, and further away are Healy & Nenana.

 

Fairbanks has kept its' small-town hospitality as it's grown. If he's a people person, his out-going personality & friendliness would be well reciprocated. There's a Regal movie cinema, plenty of restaraunts, churches of every 'brand', bowling, indoor swimming pools, etc... the regular stuff. The bases have an outdoors/sportsman place where you can rent kayaks, canoes, boats, ATVs, etc. and they have classes to show you how to work them first. I guess it depends on what he's into for what there is to do up here.

 

The University of Alaska has 2 major campuses in Fairbanks & Anchorage where there are museums, hockey games, series of free lectures, orchestra/theatre performances, etc. In Fairbanks the Nutcracker is performed every Christmas by a local ballet studio who hosts internationally known dancers & graduates their own with full dance scholarships to major dance schools. There are 3 major lakes in/around the interior where people take their sea-doos (jet skis?), boats, etc. and go innertubing, waterskiing, or just swimmint, etc. (I use "etc." alot, huh? lol). There are campgrounds and some locals have little lake houses or cabins there. There's a bird observatory, ski/sled hills, snowmachine trails, snowboarding, Alaska Public Lands Info. Ctr. is an interesting place with free monthly workshops, berry-picking, 4-wheeling (on ATVs), tons of fishing of all sorts, bow & arrow hunting, bike trails... If he's into photography this is a great place. Fairbanks/North Pole has what's called "First Fridays" every 1st Fri. of the month, with art shows at some shops and live bands and food/wine samplings. North Pole hosts a larger art show contained under 1 roof for 1st Fridays. There's Chena Hot Springs, where they have their own geothermal powered little hotel/restaurant/ice hotel/etc. The power could go out all over the world & they'd be fine; it's a self-sufficient operation independent of "the grid". They give free tours, and they have guided ATV/skiing/etc. tours in the winter, not to mention the hot springs. There are libraries, a major one in Fbks. and smaller ones in the outlying communities. There's major chain stores (Home Depot, Old Navy, Petco, American Eagle...), restaurants (Chili's, fast food), & hotels and there's ma & pa shops, too. There's some local restaraunts that are on the Chena river & make for beautful views when out on a date.

 

As for the dating scene... well, it's been awhile for me. The women up here, the Alaska-grown ones anyhow, really know how to work. Most of us still know how to clean up well for a date. Some of us carry Coach purses and have our nails done & wear brand-label clothes... probably what he's used to. There's a large section of us, IMO, that value other things above appearance & materialistic stuff. A very small section take that to an extreme though, and may have never been to a hairdresser as far as I can tell, or heard of plucking/waxing excess facial hair, and the great thing is no one bats an eye at it. There is a varied female demographic population up here.

 

About winter driving: You get used to it, just like I & everyone else here had to when we were 16. Don't bring a rear-wheel drive vehicle. There are places up here to get studded tires, or better yet, Blizzak tires for the winter. These same places can usually change out all vehicle fluids for colder temps, too. We have Napa & Jiffy Lube, and major dealerships. The brakes are not your friends in the winter - you must be gentle with them. The boroughs/cities have snow-clearing equipment for the roads, and from what I see on the news when it snows big-time Outside, they clear the roads here quickly & regularly, and life goes on. He could get together w/ a local or someone who's been up here a few winters and practice in an empty lot or less-busy areas to get the feel of it. Basically, just no sudden moves when it's icy. It's really nothing like Ice Road Truckers. There is an unspoken code of sorts that when the temps are super-cold and you see someone with their car broken down on the side of the highway, you help them. Those temps can be dangerous if the person isn't dressed properly. In the interior it gets colder in the winter, but hotter in the summer. There's less range in temp around Anchorage; their summers are more grey and rainy than Fbks.

 

I love the fresh air, clean water, wild subsitence lifestyle, the freedom, and most of all the unadulterated nature. I love the huge variance in personalities here - there isn't a majority of people absorbed in trend pop culture. Alot of people come here to learn (university or otherwise) or do nature-related research.

 

Sorry for rambling on so... feel free to PM me w/ specific questions.

 

ETA: OH! Dog mushing, mountain climbing, hiking trails or forging your own trail in the wilderness... lol, the possibilities are endless.

[TravelingChris]

So is he is joining the military? If he is or working for DOD, the price of housing there doesn't matter. Military and DOD out of CONUS get housing allowances that cover the cost of housing.

[Mama Geek]

Having worked in Anchorage for 1 1/2 years, I really enjoyed my time there. Anchorage has about 300,000 people. Yes there is a certain amount of crime there, but it is much better than most cities in the lower 48. There are a couple of areas to stay out of but once you get there everyone can tell you where those are.

 

They do keep the roads plowed in the winter and we had a 4 WD vehicle with studded tires that would allow us to go almost anywhere we wanted to outside of Anchorage.

 

For us the middle of summer was more difficult than the middle of winter. Dressing right is a big key to enjoying the winter and making your mind up that you are going to do things whether it is dark or not makes a big difference. We would go cross country skiing several evenings a week. During the summer it was hard to get enough sleep due to the amount of sunlight. We finally ended up putting up a couple of dark sheets over the mini blinds that helped our sleeping situation.

 

You can find almost anything that you need in Anchorage and the temperature there is not nearly as cold as in other parts of the state. There is minimal wind and small temperature swings there.

 

If work opportunities open up there again we would go in a heart beat.

[MomLovesClassics]

Yes, he i in the ARMY National Guard, and ROTC. After his first 3 years full time Army, he left that as a Sgt. He then went to college, transfered to National Guard, and joined ROTC. He just finished ROTC, but has a little college to go. I was unaware recruter's would be recruting. He will be a lieutenant once he is comissioned, or is now not sure. i do think he would need a new vehicle, if he went to Alaska. I am not sure his truck is a 4wd. His truck is paid for, and he is not one who likes to owe money for anything. But that is just a minor detail, he could afford a truck payment. He also loves hockey, so that one thing that would make it that much more appealing for him.

 

So is he is joining the military? If he is or working for DOD, the price of housing there doesn't matter. Military and DOD out of CONUS get housing allowances that cover the cost of housing.

[BMW]

I lived there for 14 years. I could not be talked into living there again. BUT, I made the best of it the entire time.

 

Traveling around the state is enjoyable... and breathtaking. I love the memory of driving through mountain ranges listening to Josh Groban... happy sigh.

 

I loved that it wasn't so pop-culture-ish. It was a great place to have my babies and raise them as little ones... we had a huge yard (as in several acres) and they could be kids. They all love Alaska and miss it and talk about going back.

 

But, that's because they weren't the parents!! Honestly, it was a very hard life. Winter can come early and stay long. By the end of August I was getting out snow suits and boots and seeing what we needed to get for winter. In September I started keeping the yard cleaned up and everything put away, because overnight snow might cover up the rake and we might not see it until next April or May. During the coldest days and weeks, I had to keep laundry going so that they lines wouldn't freeze and sometimes had to use a hair dryer on the shower faucet for a very long time to thaw those pipes for a shower. Its' SO dark (Fairbanks area) in the winter... that has impacted me for life... I cannot stand to have any curtains hang over my windows because I HAVE to see outside... when you look at windows and see black for days and weeks, well... for me, that wasn't too good! You have to winterize your vehicle engine with heating pads and such and plug in your car to keep it from freezing up. Shoveling snow is a must... and it's helpful to know someone who can plow out your driveway. Add to that the usual life "events" (like a child throwing up... an asthma attack...) and life was just much harder than I'd wanted.

 

That said, there were very sweet memories... my yearly tradition was for the first big daytime snow, I'd put on a large pot of wassail. Let me tell you, the kids did not ever let this tradition fade! We had lots of snowmen, but you have to make them with the first couple of snows of the year, because after that the snow is like powder and wont stick because it's SO cold. I loved that in the summer, the sun charges you with energy. You just go and go and go. I would start cleaning up after dinner and start a project and it was suddenly 11pm and it was still light out and I wasn't tired.

 

I didn't like that the prices were so high because everything has to get shipped there... you have to get used to hearing that your order has an added fee because it's going to Alaska... (that did seem to improve since the early 90's... ).

 

So, there's a mix of some things I liked and what reality was for me. Best wishes for your son! It can be an awesome adventure. I agree with a previous poster that it's hard to travel back and forth... there were lots of people I knew who just never got out of the state.

[KJB]

I lived there for 14 years. I could not be talked into living there again. BUT, I made the best of it the entire time.

 

Traveling around the state is enjoyable... and breathtaking. I love the memory of driving through mountain ranges listening to Josh Groban... happy sigh.

 

I loved that it wasn't so pop-culture-ish. It was a great place to have my babies and raise them as little ones... we had a huge yard (as in several acres) and they could be kids. They all love Alaska and miss it and talk about going back.

 

But, that's because they weren't the parents!! Honestly, it was a very hard life. Winter can come early and stay long. By the end of August I was getting out snow suits and boots and seeing what we needed to get for winter. In September I started keeping the yard cleaned up and everything put away, because overnight snow might cover up the rake and we might not see it until next April or May. During the coldest days and weeks, I had to keep laundry going so that they lines wouldn't freeze and sometimes had to use a hair dryer on the shower faucet for a very long time to thaw those pipes for a shower. Its' SO dark (Fairbanks area) in the winter... that has impacted me for life... I cannot stand to have any curtains hang over my windows because I HAVE to see outside... when you look at windows and see black for days and weeks, well... for me, that wasn't too good! You have to winterize your vehicle engine with heating pads and such and plug in your car to keep it from freezing up. Shoveling snow is a must... and it's helpful to know someone who can plow out your driveway. Add to that the usual life "events" (like a child throwing up... an asthma attack...) and life was just much harder than I'd wanted.

 

That said, there were very sweet memories... my yearly tradition was for the first big daytime snow, I'd put on a large pot of wassail. Let me tell you, the kids did not ever let this tradition fade! We had lots of snowmen, but you have to make them with the first couple of snows of the year, because after that the snow is like powder and wont stick because it's SO cold. I loved that in the summer, the sun charges you with energy. You just go and go and go. I would start cleaning up after dinner and start a project and it was suddenly 11pm and it was still light out and I wasn't tired.

 

I didn't like that the prices were so high because everything has to get shipped there... you have to get used to hearing that your order has an added fee because it's going to Alaska... (that did seem to improve since the early 90's... ).

 

So, there's a mix of some things I liked and what reality was for me. Best wishes for your son! It can be an awesome adventure. I agree with a previous poster that it's hard to travel back and forth... there were lots of people I knew who just never got out of the state.

 

It's a hard state to have little kids in, imo. It really is a state best enjoyed by teens and adults. There are many many reasons AK is wonderful, but having young children and babies there is tough. I used to have to get all four kids into snowsuits and boots just to drive 5 minutes to the store. The effort to go anywhere was ridiculous. I had a baby there which was a particular challenge. Oh, and the mosquitos with little ones are no fun....

 

To OP, I wanted to affirm that your son's recruiter is indeed a salesman. Make sure ds gets in writing everything he's promised or told. Just a caution.... The thought that going to AK would allow him any job he wanted prompted me to reply. That sounds like a promise a recruiter can't necessarily guarantee.

[Annabel Lee]

To OP, I wanted to affirm that your son's recruiter is indeed a salesman. Make sure ds gets in writing everything he's promised or told. Just a caution.... The thought that going to AK would allow him any job he wanted prompted me to reply. That sounds like a promise a recruiter can't necessarily guarantee.

 

:iagree:To put it in a generalized nutshell, the recruiters I & my extended family have had experience w/ are liars. Has he already signed the dotted line? Is he prepared for the possibility of spending his AK time deployed to the Middle East? If nothing is set in stone, like his MOS or what battalion/brigade he'll be going to, have him call the base or you can even call my dh to find out which ones are on regular depolyment rotations and which never really deploy. Sorry to be such a downer. :(

[Annabel Lee]

If he lives on a military base many of the hardships BMW described (such as freezing pipes, etc.) are taken care of by paid maintenence. If he's civilian working for DOD, there's not any special base privilges except getting on base to go to work, but then the Gov. doesn't own you either. There are plenty of civilian DOD job openings up here, if that's something he wants to consider.

 

The things BMW mentioned are things to consider as well. Brands of "happy lamps" and vitamin D pills might be things to look into just before moving here. It hasn't snowed "properly" in years. Shoveling snow from the driveway isn't what it used to be (thank goodness). I like having snow taller than myself to play in, but I'm odd that way. The record snowfalls of the mid-90s have dwindled and never returned. I think we've been having record low snowfalls more recently. There's hardly anything to play in until at least mid Dec., even though it's still cold out. Climate change? Climate cycles? I dunno. It's weird though.

 

Totally OT: My dad used to plow the driveway and shove the snow off to the sides creating these huge snow burms. My bro. & I would climb to the top and jump off the other side, landing up to our waists or higher in snow. We'd burrow through them & build tunnels and forts. It was definately more fun being the kid than the adult then!

Edited August 1, 2010 by Annabel Lee
spelling

[PeterPan]

 

http://www.susanstevenson.com/Journal/June2005.html Here's a blog I've been enjoying reading of a couple (military guy and his camera clicking wife) who enjoy the state. Does your son like to fish? Seems like everywhere this guy goes he's fishing. My brother would be all over that (a guy thing).